Moral Injuries at Metro: and More Fatal Shootings

I must begin this week’s column by citing an error I made last week. I had written, “In spite of the evidence, I was allegedly untruthful during an Internal Affairs investigation conducted by Sgt. Kelly McMahill — a close friend of the Gillespie regime. I believe she asked me the same question nearly 20 times. I repeatedly told her I had not left my area to conduct any follow-up investigation and had not followed Captain Fasulo’s ‘special’ rule created just for me.” The last sentence should have read, “I repeatedly told her I had not left my area to conduct any follow-up investigation and had not failed to follow Captain Fasulo’s ‘special’ rule created just for me.” I don’t want to see McMahill and Fasulo (or the Labor Relations folks, or the Police Managers and Supervisors Association failures) get ‘aroused’ by any supposed ‘admissions’ to violating a rule and then being untruthful about it.
I recently reviewed my daily notebook from the day I crossed the street (6/30/11) and the day (7/5/11) Fasulo violated state law and interrogated me for two hours after he had already conducted an investigation for a week. I provided the notebook information as well as an entire three-ring binder full of additional ‘exculpatory’ evidence to Sgt. Kelly McMahill — which she simply ignored. The arbitrator never reviewed any of this information. There were emails to and from Lt. Hans Walters that clearly established what we were ALL expected to do based on pressure that he received from our megalomaniac captain who jumped every time Lt. Karen Hughes told him to jump.
No sergeant was prohibited from ever leaving their patrol area (crossing the street) — not even me! Hans Walters told me, “wait until we get to court” — but we never got there for anyone to do an objective review of the situation. Hans is dead but ‘they’ hold their heads high even though they disgraced their badges and their honor by participating in an employee ‘hit’ — and they know it.
Speaking of honor (and morals), I just read a column about how many American soldiers are suffering from a condition called ‘moral injury’
(http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/soldiers-journey-heal-spotlights-soul-wounds-war-33102587?page=2).
“Unlike post-traumatic stress disorder, which is based on fear from feeling one’s life threatened, moral injury produces extreme guilt and shame from something done or witnessed that goes against one’s values or may even be a crime. As I lament how my career was intentionally destroyed (and continue to suffer rejections from prospective employers because the LVMPD claimed that I was ‘insubordinate and untruthful’), I realize that I am in good company. There are many other good employees who were doing the right thing (serving the public) and who became casualties of Metro. Do WE suffer from ‘moral injury’ or feel guilt or shame, or do THEY? My conscience is clear after a policing career. I did not mistreat the public, suspects, or the people who worked for me.
FATAL SHOOTINGS
YouTube videos were posted after recent press conferences held by Assistant Sheriff Fasulo and Undersheriff McMahill to describe two recent fatal shootings. I can’t judge the officers for pulling the trigger because all of the facts are not available, but anyone can have questions. Did they follow policy/training and respond with
appropriate tactics in order to minimize any possible injury or loss of life?
And just how objective can the Critical Incident Review Team or the District Attorney be when they get around to investigate these shootings after viewing the statements made by Fasulo and McMahill that are NOT a recitation of the facts-only! They are clearly presented to explain and justify the officer’s actions.
McMahill started his press conference
(http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/aug/12/police-body-cam-shows-man-shot-while-wielding-wren/)
by blaming the mental health system and went on to explain how the officers were ‘hurting’ and ‘struggling’ and if you think they can “just close the door” on incidents like this one, “you are sadly mistaken.” Did anyone bother to listen to the mother’s screams in the background after the gunfire? The suspect is dead. We can all watch the video even though McMahill tried to tell us what we were supposed to see. This is very disturbing!
Multiple media accounts described what happened. Those accounts included: “McMahill said the officers got permission from Correa’s mother to search the home before Correa charged from the coat closet toward
Prunchak with his hands over his head — the pointed Phillips screwdriver in one and the crescent wrench in his other.”
Metro Police aired a body camera recording Wednesday of the fatal shooting of a 24-year-old man accused of lunging with a metal wrench and screwdriver toward two officers searching for him in his mother’s home last week.
Clark County Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said Abel Correa had the wrench and screwdriver in his hands above his head as he burst from a coat closet toward two officers investigating a neighborhood vandalism complaint.”
One of the officers is heard telling Correa to get his hands up. His hands aren’t clearly seen in the video clip.
Correa, 24, was shot after hunged at an officer with a screwdriver and wrench from close range Friday, Metro Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said at a press conference Wednesday.
Pistols drawn, the officers approached the closet door. Taylor opened the door as Prunchak told Correa to put his hands up.
Correa’s hands were in the air, but one was holding a screwdriver and the other a wrench in an “attack position,” McMahill said.
Viewers can use a checklist to fact check McMahill’s explanation: Did Correa ‘comply’ and put his hands in the air? Did the officers order him into an ‘attack’ position rather than tell him to drop the items?
Did Correa lunge at officers on video? Correa hardly got out of the closet — let alone actually charge or attack an officer. Who gave permission to search — the mother or the brother? Were they asked if Correa was hiding in the house or where he may have gone? Were any verbal challenges issued prior to officers opening the closet door?
Why wasn’t one officer ready to use a Taser, a baton or pepper spray, or even call a K-9?
How about going ‘hands on’? Officers regularly just grab a suspect and take him to the ground — which allows a life to be preserved! I’d like to see and hear the rest of the video…where is it? What did the officers say to each other? What did the officers say to the family?
Will anyone (other than an attorney filing a civil lawsuit) request to see the entire video?
McMahill gives lots of background information that is actually irrelevant unless the two shooting officers made decisions based on this information. The bottom line is NOT whether the officers will be ‘justified’ (they inevitably will be) but whether it was NECESSARY to use deadly force. This includes the concepts of imminent jeopardy and preclusion!
Next, Fasulo tries to explain
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_X1IVOmCww) why officers fired 59 times and killed another subject…after one officer was struck in the face by a pellet fired by a disturbed bystander. One officer fired 31
times! With multiple officers on that scene, where is the body camera video? And what is this story about an ‘echo chamber’??
Norm Jahn served with the LVMPD for over 21 years and achieved the rank of lieutenant. He also served as a police chief in Wisconsin for over three years. Jahn has been a university professor and also taught in the criminal justice program at the College of Southern Nevada for over a decade. Jahn received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a master’s degree from UNLV. He has researched police performance and the management and leadership of police departments. His weekly column focuses on current policing issues, especially those involving the LVMPD. Norm provides ‘insight with an edge’ to inform
the public and improve policing. He can be reached at normjahn@icloud.net

Norm Jahn is a former lieutenant with the LVMPD. Jahn was terminated by Sheriff Gillespie in 2011 and then retired. He is currently in his second year as a professor at Lake Superior State University.
Jahn received a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and a master's degree from UNLV. He taught in the criminal justice program at the College of Southern Nevada for over a decade.
He was hired by Metro in 1983 and had risen to the rank of lieutenant by 1992. He was on the eligibility list for Metro captain with former sheriff Bill Young in 1995 but resigned at the end of 1996 to follow his career goal of becoming a police chief. Jahn served as police chief in Shawano, Wisconsin for over 3 years.
Jahn returned to Las Vegas in 2004, and completed the police academy and field training programs. By 2007, he was promoted to sergeant (again) and supervised officers working the Strip.
Norm noticed problems with police performance and effectiveness and tried to improve police and security working relationships. He was targeted by Vice (and later Metro administrators) because of his commitment to Strip Safety and protecting visitors from crime.
In July of 2011, Jahn's career ended when he drove his police car across I-15 and his captain created a 'truthfulness' case to end his career. Metro offered to drop the termination charge if Norm would change his story and retire quietly, but they also wanted Jahn to sign a gag order and never criticize the LVMPD or even contact friends and co-workers. Jahn refused both offers.
Norm is now retired from the LVMPD and is in his second year as a professor at Lake Superior State University.
His weekly column focuses on the LVMPD and provides 'insight with an edge' - Gillespie's gag order didn't work!